Itachi's future
by Aka.na.Sasori
Summary: Sasuke fought Itachi, but had no intention to kill him. He have changed his mind a week before their battle. When team Kakashi arrived on the battlefield, they easily captured an exhausted Sasuke, and saved the elder one from death. But both became Konoha's prisoners. Tsunade decide after listening to Inoichi's report on the Uchiha memory, that Konoha should pay her debt to him.
1. Chapter 1 : Destiny

**Chapter 1 : Destiny**

* * *

Landing on a chaotic battlefield, Kakashi and the Konoha-nin under his order was confronting an unexpected scene.

Two rogues from Konoha, Uchiha ones, were laying on the floor. Not totally, the younger was holding on his brother's body. As Kakashi's band approached carefully, they could see Itachi's open blank eyes. He's dead. It's sad how he've been killed by his own brother but so have his parents been killed by his own hands.

Sasuke's sharingan changed and its pattern became more complicated. '_Mangekyou_' thought Kakashi, now more alarmed of the young Uchiha.

A chidori was launched by the exhausted-looking Sasuke toward his ex-teacher who dodged easily.

A small fight where Sasuke had to defend himself alone from Kakashi, Yamato, Sai and Naruto got him far from Itachi's body. He couldn't use his Doujutsu, so all he could fight with was what's left. His enemies' techniques and formation was hard to deal with and he could barely avoid their attacks. He just has to gain more time until team Hebi arrives.

Unfortunately for him, Yamato caught him in a sealed wood cage. A Shodaime technique. They wouldn't catch him if he wasn't distracted by his ex-teammate who was now on Itachi's body checking on him.

"DON'T TOUCH HIM !" he screamed at Sakura.

He looked hysterical. It was sad to see him like this. But Sakura has to check Itachi. She hesitated but got reminded of her duty by the chief : "Sakura ! Check him !"

Nodding at her teacher, Kakashi was right, Itachi wasn't dead yet. He was in a coma but his life was in danger and he wasn't able to breathe correctly. He's agonizing. "He's dying !" said Sakura to Kakashi.

Kakashi hadn't chose yet if he should tell her 'save him' with a gesture or words until someone yelled those two words at her. After all the hate, the vengeance quest and pain… He wasn't waiting for Sasuke to spell those words concerning his brother. Sasuke asked to save Itachi.

"You're a medical ninja ? Then SAVE HIM ! If you fail, you're DEAD !"

"Sasuke…" said Naruto slowly, looking at his friend with sad eyes. '_Does he regret trying to kill his brother ? Does he change his mind when he saw his dead body ? Did he regret when he thought him dead ?_'

Itachi needed artificial breathing. Sakura hesitated but… Looking back at Sasuke's depressed face made her do it. She has to save Itachi. Maybe Sasuke could be saved like this.

The young Uchiha saw pain in the eyes of that young woman who was trying to take care of Itachi. He knew she loves him, and would do her best to please him, to save Itachi, yet he didn't expect to see her lips on Itachi's. His mind needed time to understand that she was helping him breathe. He felt an anger in his guts. An anger he couldn't explain. He didn't stand that view so he lifted his head to the other side. Kakashi noticed that.

Pumping his heart, after some minutes, Itachi coughed blood when Sakura was still giving him air. Itachi was now again conscious, but his eyes were still looking blank, he drifted his eyes to his side seeing a blurry person sitting next to him. Dressed in white, having a white skin and pink hair. He knew one ninja with pink hair, from Konoha, the Haruno lady. He has no idea where he was right now.

When he coughed, everyone froze and was totally silent looking at him. Sakura next to him was cleaning the blood from her mouth. Sasuke looked relieved, but still anger was devouring him from nowhere.

"Ha... Haruno-san ?" asked Itachi.

Haruno. Is this all he found to say in such a situation ? How does he know her name at the first place ?

"Y… Yes !" she replied, with knitted eyebrows.

"Where am I ?"

Right then. A hand appeared from the void above the pink-haired ninja. Everyone was calling her name in distress. The hand was holding a kunai and was taking it straight to her skull.

Not understanding what's going on, Sakura found her body pulled on the Uchiha laying on the floor and then suddenly rolling, when she found herself under him.

"Madara…" Itachi said looking at that hand.

Madara, or _Obito_, wasn't going to let them go this easily. He wished to see Itachi dead anyway and was disappointed on this salvation band.

"Why didn't you finish him off ? Sasuke ?"

"None of your business !" answered the young Uchiha.

Itachi felt pretty lost for the first time in his life. He wasn't understanding what's going on. Wasn't Sasuke dying to kill him. Badly wanting him dead ? What have made him change his mind ?

* * *

Kakashi's band was back to Konoha with two prisoners. Both well sealed.

After an annoying fight, and seeing how Sasuke wasn't following him, and Itachi preferring being under Konoha's mercy than his, Madara retreated.

Tsunade gave order to make Sasuke talk. He was hiding something and has a strong reason to keep Itachi alive. This latter was in a crucial state and having medical care. Meanwhile, she gave Inoichi the order to check both of their memories.

Now that he's reporting, after he made sure there is only the both of them in the office, Tsunade felt a heavy burden sitting on her being. Sasuke's memories didn't reveal much and explained why he wanted Itachi alive, but this latter's memories revealed too much about Konoha's history…

"What have life done to you Itachi… Moreover, what is life going to do now…"

"Tsunade-sama, if Sasuke's state is truly sterile, then Itachi is the only one who can assure the continuation of the Uchiha…" said Inoichi.

"Itachi have done enough sacrifices for the sake of Konoha… He should be paid back now. He should have whatever he wants. Take care of him, he may reveal some more to us about what happened in the past and what are the Akatsuki hiding."

* * *

**Next chapter : Attribution**


	2. Chapter 2 : Attribution

Hello ! I'm very glade for the reviews I got, and still wanting to read your point of views.  
I apologize for my english, it isn't my maternal language and I don't master it but I'm doing the efforts I can.

* * *

**Chapter 2 : Attribution**

* * *

**Konoha.**

Itachi's eyes slowly opened. He couldn't see anything. Was it his sight that he lost or was this room too dark and lightless ? He couldn't tell. But when he moved his head to the side, he could feel something on his head. His head was covered.

Recalling the late events. His fight with Sasuke, Konoha's ninjas' arrival, the small fight he couldn't assist against Obito, his brother's screams and the crying kunoichi who was saving him. He's now Konoha's prisoner. He won't unveil anything about the Uchiha massacre. He's simply going to die. To be executed.

He seemed to be in a small room according to the echo the walls gave to the door's opening and closure. Someone just entered and was walking toward him.

The person checked on him, medically, and seemed to be writing something on a notepad or something like that. He was tied to the bed and couldn't feel his chakra. Right. He was at their full mercy.

"How do you feel your limb ?" she asked while putting pressure on his knee. It hurts. "Broken." He answered with a grimace. "It will be alright within two days." Said the doctor. "Thank you Haruno-san." He replied bringing a silence.

"How do you know my name ?" she managed to ask. "I had to report one two things about Konoha's Jinchuuriki's team once." He answered. "Ah. I see."

"Where am I exactly ? Prison ?" he asked. The doctor answered immediately : "Yes. The Hokage may visit you soon." "The Hokage. Tsunade-sama ?" - "Yes. Now, I'm going to leave. Don't waste your energy on trying to free yourself. You're well bound and your chakra is well sealed."

As she opened the door to leave, she heard a frank "Thank you."

Polite.

* * *

**Hokage's office.**

Sakura reported Itachi's state to Tsunade and answered her questions. She was alone with her mentor when Kakashi knocked at the door and entered. He heard half of Sakura's report. When she was done listening to her apprentice, Tsunade turned to Kakashi. He sent her a silent ocular message. It's top secret.

"Thank you Sakura for your work, can you please leave now ?" it wasn't a demande but an order. The pink-haired girl excused herself and retreated silently. Behind the door, Sakura was suspicious about the top secret thing Kakashi and Tsunade couldn't discuss in her presence. Wasn't she knowing enough ? Wasn't she trustful enough ? She was from the minority of people to know about the Uchiha men's return to, imprisonment in, Konoha. She has to leave now.

Tsunade exposed Inoichi's report and finds to Kakashi. Kakashi was an ANBU member back to the massacre's time. He knew Itachi and had worked with him. Tsunade was looking for some _answers_, some details about it. There was no denying in Itachi's memories, but Inoichi couldn't see everything, and now that Itachi regained consciousness, even without chakra, it wouldn't be an easy task to scour his memory. Kakashi said he've heard some rumors spreading with the ANBU ranks but could never ensure such a story.

What Inoichi found in the older Uchiha's memory some spots on his childhood, his beginning in the ANBU, his work as an ANBU captain, some views of people's gather under the Uchiha emblem, and then a view of Konoha's heads behind a desk. The scene after that was how he slaughtered his parents and how Sasuke was crying. Rapid sceneries follow showing days with the Akatsuki, nothing alarming which was weird for a murderer like him. There was also a scene about his visit to Konoha after the Sandaime's death, his attendance to Akatsuki gathering and Bijuu extractions' rituals. And then there was his battle with Sasuke.

The Sandaime, the elders and Danzou are implicated in the Uchiha massacre. But the question was '_why ?_'. They unfortunately informed them of his presence already. Kakashi and Tsunade chose to put Itachi on a prior security protocol. They're not going to give the right to anyone to visit him. He needs a medical care for two or three days and Sakura would be the only one to do that.

"There is another thing Inoichi found, within Sasuke's memory…"

Sasuke ignored everything about the implication of Konoha in the massacre of his family and clan. They could find some important hints about Orochimaru's hideouts but nothing else political. They already know about Sasuke's band, Hebi, and that they may try to free him. The only information given by Tsunade to Kakashi that made his expression change was that concerning his ex-student's sterility. Kakashi thought he needs to talk with him.

* * *

**Sasuke's cell**

When Sakura visited Sasuke, she thought him sleeping. When she put her hands on his shoulder to check on him, he moved to push her away. He didn't say a word. He looked too angry to talk with. She felt really curious to know why he didn't kill Itachi. Thinking of that man, the one before her just spelled his name as if he spoke of a demon : "Where is Itachi ?" – "Somewhere around here."

After Sakura was done giving him today's administrations, he asked again about his brother "Is his state stable ?" The doctor wasn't sure if he was worried about him or wanted to kill him "Yes, I'm taking care of him."

She took her bag in her hands to put her tools back but was stopped by another words by Sasuke : "Take care of him. If anything happens to him, you'll pay that dearly."

He was threatening her. He surely was too worried about his brother. But what could have changed him this way ?

Kakashi entered then. Saluting Sakura once again, he excused himself to ask her to leave. Her worried eyes fixating Kakashi hit him. They were supposed to be a family, but here he was hiding things, and concerning Sasuke, from her. She is mature. She knows that there was a good reason for that. She better leave. And so she did.

Kakashi approached Sasuke slowly, sat some two meters away from him and asked a heavy question : "Why haven't you killed Itachi ?" – "None of your business."

A dead end. Predictable.

"Ok. And what is fate preparing for the Uchiha now that you're sterile and your brother alive ?" Sasuke lost his cool at the word sterile. "HOW DO YOU KNOW ?" he screamed to get a cold answer from Kakashi : "Well. None of your business." Silencing the Uchiha, Kakashi felt he got a point but was back to the dead end. After some minutes of silence and contemplating, Sasuke spoke : "I hate him. I'll never forgive him. But…" Kakashi was more than concentrated after this last word and Sasuke was playing on his patience by delaying the continuation.

"But he better get a child soon, so I can kill him."

After reflexion, Kakashi asked "And the child ?" Sasuke's answer was ready "I'll rise it." – "Oh !"

Kakashi didn't wait such an answer. Sasuke seemed to hate Itachi, but seems he still got a heart who'd love and cherish his brother's child. But still, Sasuke seemed to see the whole situation in a very easy way. "I doubt Itachi will get a child any sooner." Said Kakashi. "I'll force him." Replied the Uchiha.

Sasuke either was too naïve or too… Too clever ? Did he look like someone with a plan ? No. Anger and hatred was devouring him. He didn't look too rational to have a _plan_. "I've worked with him during ANBU days and I don't know how _you_ can _force_ Itachi for such a _thing_ as having a child."

Without receiving any more answer from the prisoner, Kakashi rose himself to exit the cell. It's then that Sasuke spoke : "**I** know how."

* * *

_**Next chapter : Purge**_

* * *

"どうでもいいよ どうせ明日になれば  
I don't care about whatever may happen tomorrow

空っぽの僕ら  
To the empty us ..."

**MUCC - EMP**


	3. Chapter 3 : Purge

_Again, forgive my poor language..._

* * *

**Chapter 3 : Purge**

**Itachi's cell**

It was the third time this week Kakashi asked Sakura to leave a place. She have first been warned by Tsunade this morning to not communicate anything at all concerning Itachi and Sasuke before being interned in the Hokage's Tower's dorm, so she'll be kept close to the prison, or in other words, kept away from civilian life and untrusted shinobis.

When she first entered Itachi's cell, she found him panting, sweating, with a pained grimace trying to sit. He had an internal hemorrhage in his abdomen and Sakura took care of him since then. Some 4 hours ago. She left to have breakfast and came back while he was still sleeping. Focusing on his frame, she was wondering, like everyone, why Sasuke came back on his decision. Did Itachi tell him something important ? This man wasn't even looking as hostile or worried as Sasuke. She decided to ask him about this when he wakes up, and so she did. Within his first 5 minutes awake, the Haruno demoiselle asked like a torturer : "Why did Sasuke hesitate to kill you ?"

There was an awkward silence, Itachi's jaw clenched and he answered as if he lost his memory : "I absolutely have no idea."

Right then, Kakashi and Tsunade entered and he heard them asking the younger of them to leave. His interrogation just started.

* * *

"Sakura-chan !" called Naruto on one of the Hokage Tower's balcony facing the Intelligence department, where Sakura was taking a pause on of its windows. "Oh Naruto !" she said, steading herself as he came to her side.

"So how is work ?" he asked with a bright smile. He've been so happy lately since Sasuke's coming back. Well, it isn't like he came back by his own will, he has been taken back here. But still, since Itachi is Konoha's prisoner too, Sasuke won't have anywhere to go now, revenge or not, he has no more reason to leave Konoha. Or that's what he's thinking of Sasuke.

After some exchanges and gossip, he could tell that Sakura's mind was occupied by something, she seemed worried, and as she's still wearing her white blouse, hair tied on-top of her head and her eyebrows knitted, he could tell that something not so cool is happening. Even Tsunade, Shizune and Kakashi seemed too worried lately to even smile, except Kakashi who's talented in acting.

"How's Sasuke ?" he finally asked, as if he pulled her out of a deep sea. "Fine. Stressed. He seems to have some dark thoughts or bad intentions. He's emitting an evilly dense aura." She replied, biting her thumb's nail, looking at the prison's corridor some 10 meters in front of her.

Looking at that direction now, Naruto put his back on the pillar behind him and lightly inclined his head back, crossing his arms. After some minutes of silence, as his face lost his late smiles and became serious he wondered about the older Uchiha : "I wonder why did Sasuke want his brother alive ? After all this pain ?" Taking a last sip of her tea, Sakura answered playfully as she stood straighter that "Who knows, maybe he became too sadistic he wants to torture him forever ?" making Naruto laugh lightly at this while sadness took over him at the same thought "Maybe it's so. He seems to have gone mad".

* * *

**Itachi's cell**

"How are you feeling yourself Itachi ?" asked Tsunade gently as she sat on the chair next to his bed, Kakashi standing next to her.

"Tired."

As no one talked after his response, he remembered his last talk with a Hokage, the Third. He remembered the promise they made and how secret all this should be. The Third kept his promise and took care of Sasuke until he took the secret to his grave. Sasuke grew stronger with time and came to kill his brother as he promised. Yet, here he is, Uchiha Itachi, alive, under a Hokage's mercy, a Hokage that ignores everything about the revolution that was about to take over Konoha, the sacrifice the Uchiha paid, especially Sasuke and Itachi, and especially this latter one who knew everything and had to keep silent. After all, he still has to keep silent. He still should behave like a criminal who killed his whole clan for a random reason.

"We're aware of who's implicated in the Uchiha' massacre." Said the woman.

It was more than rare, it was unbelievable to Kakashi to see Itachi opening his mouth in shock. His eyes were covered with a sealing bandage, and he could imagine how wide they would be if without it. Who was more shocked and saddened in the room was Kakashi and Tsunade actually. It was indeed true. Itachi was politically _innocent_, he was just executing the orders, responding to his duty and being totally trustful to Konoha.

"Who ?" asked the young man. Itachi was actually minding that they're trying to trap him. "The Third, Danzou and the Elders." Replied his ex-captain.

"We're ignoring the real reasons. We'd like to learn more about them from you, you never betrayed Konoha.." Tsunade's sentence wasn't completed when she got cut : "I betrayed Konoha by becoming a rogue." Regaining her calm within seconds, the Hokage replicated : "Then the Third is a traitor too?"

Some minutes of silence took over the room. Itachi started feeling at unease in his seat. He prepared himself mentally for a torture session but not like this. His heart was too heavy to talk about that day, to say anything about it.

* * *

"Hello !" greeted Sakura vividly as she entered her patient's cell, greeted back with a silence.

She got used to this temper, to this coldness and hostility. As she took care of her patient, she noticed something not going around. Something with his bondage and cuffs weren't like the last time she saw them. Standing next to her patient who was semi-seated on his bed, with her hands on his chest healing a stigma, the Haruno checked with her hands that there was an abnormal heat near his heart. Checking further, she noticed a straw of a bandage falling over the man's collarbones. When she tried to step back and rise her head, she found her arms already captured in this man's hands.

And then she did a fatal mistake. She turned her eyes toward the man's face and was already captured by the ghost of a red eye through the bondage, the Sharingan.

Within a moment, she was laying on her back, numb, under the man above her.

* * *

"It's a catastrophe… I am so sorry for all you've been through." Exasperated Tsunade too ashamed of her current status. "We should still keep you away from Danzo. I don't know how he would react if he learned that you're here but… You need to be protected."

Kakashi was wondering if Tsunade wasn't too naïve with such a talk but she surely has more informations than what she told him. His stream of thoughts got stopped with Tsunade's standing up and approaching Itachi's bed and head. "First, you need to be able to see at least." As she managed to release his head from the seal, she heard Itachi's tired words : "You don't have to, it's ok."

Tsunade took off Itachi's bandage to get even more shocked when he opened his eyes. There was a white veil, as if a spider sew her nest there, and he clearly couldn't see. "I'm almost blind."

* * *

She didn't know if it was the man's weight or a genjutsu that was taking over some of her neurons, she was simply numb, couldn't move anything but her eyes. Laying between his spread legs, his knees on her waist's level, he had his left hand on the bed, just near her right ear, and his other one seizing her chin.

She could feel his heat, it was covering her, but still, suffocating her. It was too dangerous, hostile and hateful she felt terrorized. She wished to be able to spell his name, maybe he'll come back to his senses and stop at least looking like madness is possessing him.

"How is my brother ?" he asked.

She couldn't be more shocked. "Fine… Recovering… rapidly."

"Right." He said, checking her face. His eyes looked so dangerous, the Sharingan pattern was different from the standard one and looked a bit different, like the one Kakashi has when he activates what's called Mangekyou. He may kill her at any time.

* * *

Leaving Itachi's cell, Tsunade gave more strict orders to the ANBU charged with guarding Itachi and gave order to put him under a more secured dispositive. She wasn't done talking to them when Shizune arrived in a hurry calling her name : "Tsunade-sama ! It's Fukasaku-sama ! He has an important message from Jiraya-sama !

* * *

Sasuke stood right next to the bed, next to her legs. She sat slowly under his menacing gaze, stood at the same speed and left his room with an "Ok".

The fear didn't hit her completely until she left his cell and was walking in the corridor, reaching its end. He would have killed her instantly, silently, without anyone knowing and had left the village. She answered his questions with her best stoic face and controlled her fear. As she reached the end of the corridor, one of the ANBU guard notified her that Tsunade wants her in her office as soon as she can.

So she did. Masking all the shock and fear she experienced with Sasuke, she opened the door after knocking and getting invited in by Shizune to see her mentor crying behind her desk.

This evening wasn't going well at all, she thought. Before having time to question what's going on with this crying and funeral faces, Naruto entered after her screaming : "ERO-SENNIN IS BACK ?!"

To his deception, there was no Jiraya, only Fukasaku standing on Tsunade's office. Sakura could figure what's happening.

"Naruto… Jiraya is dead." Said Fukasaku.

* * *

Not so long after feeling a light happiness, with Sasuke's coming back, Naruto felt destroyed by learning of his mentor's death. Sakura tried to consulate him for a time, but he wanted to go alone for a walk. Forbidden to leave the Hokage's headquarters, Sakura thought about Sasuke, being free to move as he please now, and Itachi's condition. She should check on him for various reasons.

As she entered his room, she jumped in fear when her eyes met the ex-ANBU captain's dark eyes. He was sitting on his bed looking at her, his eyes blank.

He wasn't attached to the bed nor had a bandage on his eyes. She suddenly remembered that Tsunade alerted her of that; Itachi can be kept _free_ within his room. He won't try to flee. How is Tsunade so sure of that ? She didn't know. But she's surely not the one who freed Sasuke.

Sakura took a seat on the chair near Itachi's bed, sharing the same square meter as him with her feet. She was terrified of him, but not as terrified as she was with Sasuke. Compared to him he's so calm and sage, while Sasuke looked like a mad beast. She took courage, took her eyes off the closed note in her hands and looked at Itachi's face. He had a sad one. She couldn't tell if it was an unreadable face or a sad one. But he looked really at the verge of crying.

Itachi's weak eyes got unlocked from the soil and looked at the person near him; Haruno Sakura.

She was sitting, wearing a white blouse, maybe something red under it, and some high black boots. Her hair was covering her face and had something like fernery hairstyle on the top of her hair. He could see a green color on her eyes and a deep pink on her mouth's level. He can't see her features.

"How's your abdomen now ? Feeling better ?" the doctor asked. "I'm not feeling any pain. Thank you." Sakura inclined herself forward and check Itachi's face. Her face was some 40 centimeters away from his. He didn't move. "Your… Your eyes. You have something like cataract in your eyes."

For the moment, Itachi knew well that Sakura was trustworthy by Tsunade, but this latter was too ignorant and naïve of so many things Danzou was capable to do. He preferred keeping precautious and don't let the medic-nin get closer to his eyes. But he didn't want to be impolite.

As the pink-head person's hand was approaching the Uchiha's face, his eyes turned red a three black tomoes appeared. "I'm fine, Haruno-san." Lied Itachi. "I can still see the cataract. It's above your Sharingan layer, I'm pretty sure you can barely see what my eyes are looking at with the Sharingan on.

He closed his eyes some seconds and reopened them without Sharingan. All Sakura did was looking professionally, without any fear, as if he was like any Konoha citizen. She took her notepad and wrote down some notes.

"You need a small session to be checked. But… Your eyes are dangerous, and I don't want to do anything bad by restoring your vision without Tsunade-sama's permission and approval.

Itachi was noting a change in Sakura's behavior; she sounded gentler. She really was being more open to him and he felt a warmful aura. He couldn't tell if she had good news or a nice evening that made her this happy, or she was… The idea was too stupid, but she got happier when she entered his room, because she sounded sad in the beginning.

Knowing his brother's environment, teammates and some few details on them made him think that maybe she was happy to see him so : "How is Sasuke ?"

Unexpecting a question about his brother, Sakura turned to face Itachi : "Better than you. He's healed, almost." She replied. Humming, Itachi added another question : "Is he still dying to kill me ?"

Trying to remember last time she visited him, Sakura couldn't tell. She doesn't remember much what happened; Sasuke freed himself and told her that he's not going to leave and simply asked about his brother. Nothing much. "He just, calmly, asked about your state." She honestly said.

"I see."

* * *

Sakura was charged of checking on the Uchiha four days per week while Shizune was charged with the three others, but that was before the bad news they got; now, they're fully under Sakura's charge. She has to visit them twice per day. She visited Itachi twice, and now is going to do her last visit for today with Sasuke, yet… She lost the courage to open the door. She is terrified for an unknown reason… But she has to do it, so she did.

"Hello." She greeted.

Mechanically, she walked toward Sasuke's bed to check on him, her eyes locked on the soil. She walked for a time but didn't seem to reach the bed. Looking around her, she was in Itachi's cell. Sitting on the chair next to his bed, just wrote his cataract's details. Is this a Genjutsu ? No… It can't be. The details marked on the notepad are too detailed be an illusion.

Gazing at her hands she noticed a moving shadow behind them, under her, or well, above her. Her hands were on a higher level than her, and the shadow even higher; it was above her. It was moving.

Trying to follow the shadow's frame above her, her eyes got covered with long black hair; it covered almost all her face and she could suddenly see the ceiling and feel the sheets under her. She was laying on a bed, there was a person above her, whose head was just few meter next to hers. "_Sasuke ?_" she thought. But not, this hair is longer…

She felt her body anting, or, it was until she regained consciousness, being now more conscious of the hands on her : a whole arm under her back, whose hand was caressing her shoulder and another one was against her side, with a hand on her chest.

It took time until she realized that her blouse and the rest of her clothes were opened, undone or taken off. She was bare against this person who gave her hickeys on the neck and was now deeply licking her jaw up to her ear where he called her name, without any honorific, in the most sensual way, with a small groan of pleasure. It was with that gesture that she could feel herself, how she was moaning and panting, as she felt a pressure against her womanhood.

What's happening to her ?

She couldn't question herself more, she was getting out of her mind by the pleasure torrent she was sinking into; it was too sweet to let her think of anything. All she could do and move on was scratching that person's back as her legs were tightening around their waist.

As she felt the last drop of pleasure taking over her, she felt so dizzy. That person leaned backward a little to face her. While caressing her face with a hand and playing with her breast with the other one, he pushed her to spell his name as she got back again into his embrace.

* * *

As the Haruno doctor opened her eyes, she was laying on her back facing a familiar ceiling, her bedroom's ceiling. Sitting on her place, she saw the mess she left on her way to her bed. It seemed like she slept too much. She has to hurry and check the news in Tsunade's office.

Lowering her head on the sink, washing her face, she suddenly remembered all the erotic session she had. "Itachi…" she recalled the name she was calling during that.

She didn't know what was that, how was it, how she ended in that situation… But she was sure she was under some genjutsu… It should be Sasuke who have done all the, but why would he ?

But if it wasn't a genjutsu ? Touching her neck, taken in the water's sound, she was afraid to face the mirror and see hickeys. Encouraging herself she rose her head and face her reflection; there was only "one", not too much… But even _one_ ! How could she have got it ?

A sharp knocking resounded on her door. She headed there and opened it, Shizune.

"Sakura ! Naruto left the village with Fukasaku-sama and we've a message from Jiraya-sama to decrypt. I'll be charged from today with the analysis of Pein's weapon and won't be able to take the shift concerning the Uchiha, they'll be under your full charge until we're done with Pein's details."

"Ehm – Ok.. Eh.." Sakura hadn't time to reply, Shizune was gone in a hurry.

She has to face the Uchiha day and night now…

* * *

_**Next Chapter : All Sacrifices implicate Pain**_

* * *

"どうか酷い夢だと教えて欲しい"  
"Please tell me it's a nightmare"  
**the GazettE - 体温 [Taion]**


	4. Chapter 4 : All Sacrifices require Pain

**Chapter 4 : All Sacrifices implicate Pain**

* * *

"What the hell ?! » yelled Tsunade, « What does this mean _forgiving Sasuke_ ?"

"Ehm – He seems to be very sorry – he – seems to regret his deserting and…" tried Sakura to justify her previous demand.

"Sakura, are you sick ? Is he playing with your mind this easily or are you this much childish when it comes to him ?! It's so clear that he's trying to manipulate you !"

Sakura had a motivation he couldn't explain. Sasuke freed himself and didn't try to escape, and asked her to convince Tsunade to _forgive_ him.

"Tsunade-sama ! Sasuke-kun freed himself from the seal and didn't try to escape his cell ! The reason he deserted the village was to find Itachi, and now that Itachi is here, he won't try anything at all !"

The Hokage was shocked at this claim. He freed himself… how ? Unless…

"Tell me he didn't manipulate you so you free him from his seals ?" asked Tsunade suspiciously, with knitted eyebrows.

"Chichou… Please, believe me…" pleaded Sakura.

"Alright. I'll take care of that brat myself. Never approach him or his cell ever again or you'll be banned from here ! I already forgave you for leaving the Tower and go spend the night in your house without my permission while I forbid you from that earlier." Claimed the Godaime severly.

* * *

Reviewing all the last scenes of Sasuke in his mind, Itachi tried to pierce the logic of his brother. He looked devoured with hate, as if he lived only to kill him, as he used to claim. Yet, when Itachi fell down next to him, he didn't finish him. When Konoha's team arrived, he ordered them, didn't ask, to heal him, even menaced their medic-nin of murder if she failed… But why ? Haven't he been alive only to take his revenge for his clan's massacre and rebuilding the clan ?

Sasuke was naïve, but not stupid. There was a thin line between those two concepts.

According to that doctor, Sasuke have been asking about his state, have maybe been worried about him. Itachi couldn't understand Sasuke's behavior, and for that, he was absolutely ignoring something. Maybe a detail or two on Sasuke's life could clear the situation…

The door opened and got slapped by the person who just entered. Haruno.

She seemed angry as she approached the desk next to his bed and grabbed some objects from it and put them back. He wasn't looking in her direction, but could tell that she sat on the chair next to it, in silence.

For five minutes or so, none of them talked or moved. Itachi could sense her state and hear her voice, her silent crying.

"May I ask you why you're crying ?" he asked gently, breaking the silence.

"No good reason. I'm used to cry." She answered coldly, wiping her tears and steading herself.

"Is it Sasuke ?"

Stop. She felt her heartbeats stopping for a moment and asked him back naively : "How would you suggest that ?"

The Uchiha lifted his head to face her and reminded her "You used to play a lot with my brother when you were young. I know you liked him a lot. At least before the massacre of the clan."

Sakura kept silent. He could tell she was crying either because of Sasuke or for him. Either ways, he wanted to learn more so that maybe he can have a detail or two concerning his brother's behavior, so he asked her : "May I ask you again why you're crying because of Sasuke ?"

Silence.

"I don't understand. Why would you care ?"

Ah. It won't be easy to get any detail from her, yet, he may have a chance if he leads the dance. So he engaged himself on that, he has nothing to lose anyway. "I do care for my brother. I would like to know if he's hurt. If he changed his primordial plans… If he still want to kill me." He said calmly, measuring his words, before adding "And it isn't like I'm insensitive to someone's crying. I just wanted to understand what's making you sad."

His voice was too calm, too warm and beautiful it mesmerized her. She wanted to hear more. It calmed her. But for that, she must push him to talk.

"I see… Yet, still, I don't understand… Forgive my impolite statement but, why would you be someone caring, especially for your brother, when you massacred your whole clan alone." She marked a pause, and added when she didn't notice any gesture from him : "You care for your brother ? It seems you're the one who sank him in this whirlpool of vengeance, hatred and blood… Of pain and suffering."

Itachi sighed lightly. He heard such words plenty times before. Sakura was close to Tsunade, but didn't seem really trustworthy to her. She ignores everything concerning the history of the massacre and may not have the ability to understand such a situation even. He should talk less with her. He shouldn't talk to her.

"Unless…" Sakura muttered, thinking, regaining Itachi's attention.

"If Tsunade-sama trusts you and not Sasuke-kun… While your crime _should_ be greater than Sasuke's… Then maybe… You're not that much of a criminal… And there's a misunderstanding, if not a denaturation of facts… That would explain why Sasuke-kun didn't try to kill you… Maybe he has understood something…" she said, as if she was talking to herself.

Open-minded, noticed Itachi. He retakes his previous thoughts on her. She can be trustworthy, but maybe doesn't bear such heavy secrets for her security.

"How could you ? How did you have such courage to kill your parents ?" she asked sadly and hesitantly, as if she couldn't believe her words.

"I've no courage." He answered coldly and rapidly.

Silence took over the room again and was progressively breaking as strong steps approached in the narrow corridor outside. Tsunade. And not alone. The door opened and the Slug Princess entered and asked her apprentice to leave the room. Sakura obeyed and felt some kind of fear when she met Kakashi and Shikaku and two ANBU in the corridor. She feared for Itachi. She couldn't explain why, but felt a kind of sympathy toward him, felt that _maybe_ he's innocent in this whole story.

The ANBU entered the room and left it some minutes later with Itachi in between them, the whole march led by the Hokage. Sakura's eyes were round. She didn't understand what's the matter. When she asked her superior, she regret it after receiving "None of your business" as an answer.

Tsunade have been harsh with her lately. She wouldn't take her words heartily. Jiraiya's death, the Uchiha's coming back and the Akatsuki's danger… She wouldn't envy her state.

* * *

The march led to a dark room that seemed to be linked to another spacy one. Itachi was held by two ANBU. It was symbolic. It isn't like they could stop him if he wanted to run away; he's neither under a seal nor chained. He could hear many old voices resounding in the next room, he could recognize some of them. Tsunade have joined them, she seems to have taken a seat. Maybe everyone is seated. Maybe it's a reunion. An official reunion maybe ?

"… Uchiha massacre…" Itachi heard.

"YOU HAVE NO PROOF !" yelled Danzou as everyone kept silence. His words resounded in the space place. It's then that the Hokage answered him calmly : "I do."

She seems to have given a sign to Kakashi who was standing in the threshold separating the rooms. He gave a sign to the ANBU covering Itachi who started advancing toward him, pushing Itachi to walk by his turn.

As tired as he was, as pitiful as he felt, as blurry as his view was, he knew his life wouldn't last more. He may get killed today, maybe now.

When Itachi entered, he could feel the fear in the present officials of Konoha. He could think that Danzou would look at him hatefully. He was somehow happy for not being able to see people's features. All they can send him are hateful glares anyway. He's tired of that.

"Traitor." Said Danzou.

"I doubt he's a traitor, Danzou !" replied the Hokage.

Itachi perceived well what Danzou meant by _traitor_. It wasn't about betraying Konoha and leaving it, but for betraying him, personally, and telling Konoha that the massacre was orchestrated by the officials.

"I…" started Itachi, but was interrupted by Danzou who screamed "LIAR!" before having his voice smashed by Tsunade's higher tone "Let him speak !"

Their voices resounded in the spacy room's wall for some seconds. When the resounding ended, Itachi spoke : "I have no idea what you've been discussing. I heard '_Uchiha's massacre_' when I arrived her, and then there was Danzou-sama calling me traitor and liar..." Danzou flinched at the 'sama' added to his name, which made him calm down a little, listening more carefully now : "Tsunade-sama talked to me about the Massacre after my capture. I didn't tell her anything. Neither I know how she got the information." – he knew, but it was up to her to justify that, if she wanted or not.

The glares went to Tsunade then who stated : "Inoichi examined your memory when you was in coma."

Silence.

"I'm not accusing you Danzou of traitorship. Itachi himself explained the situation to me when I questioned him. It seems the Uchiha were preparing a coup-d'état so you had to get them at launch before they took Konoha at dinner."

Silence. Danzou seemed to calm down.

"I'm not blaming Konoha's council's decision of back then. I don't bear any hate for any of you, Danzou-sama." Said Itachi peacefully. "All I lived for after that was to keep my promise and secret. I kept being a Konohanin of the dark, caring for your security from and through the Akatsuki. I just made one condition to Sandaime-sama, to protect Sasuke."

Most of the council's attendants felt their heart aching, that was printed on their faces. Kakashi couldn't keep his eyes on Itachi, he felt too ashamed in front of this man's sacrifices.

"I knew Sasuke will definitely feel hate toward someone or something. I shouldn't keep him roaming for that, he should just focus on me because he was too young to understand. And I did. I made my brother live in order to kill me… Just because I wanted to keep the promise, to protect Konoha and never betray peace."

Silence took over the room. Danzou kept his head bowed for a time before he spoke "Does Sasuke know anything about this story ?"

"We don't know." Answered Tsunade, lost in her thoughts.

Some murmurs started. Tsunade could hear some like "What would Sasuke think ?" "He wants to kill his brother" " Will Itachi be kept alive" and so more. Itachi heard clearer than her and so decided to speak "I'm ready to keep trustful to Konoha to my grave if you decide to kill me…"

Itachi's words pleased somehow to Danzou but not really. Everyone is here was now aware, the secret started losing it's weight. The problem wasn't Itachi no more but Sasuke. But Itachi could be a problem if he's over defensive when it comes to his brother. So having him dead wasn't a bad idea because…

"Absolutely no. You gave enough Itachi." Cleared Tsunade. "You're absolutely free. You're going to have the cure you need and the freedom you deserve. The Uchiha's bank treasury will go back to you and is no more a public treasury for Konoha. You gave everything for this village, it's high time you get paid back with some gratefulness by us."

No one would reject such a decision. Many faces were nodding with a peaceful smile. The fact that Itachi himself was forgiving Danzou was enough of a proof.

"As for Uchiha Sasuke, he's under my hand. He's captured. But is too unstable to learn anything. We're not even sure what he's thinking of. He should be kept prisoner for a longer time… And I'd _like_ to see the Roots of Konoha away from this business Danzou. It's no more the old council's decisions, but the current ones. You didn't take the bad decisions if I can judge, since Itachi is attesting that, so you don't have anything to fear. As for everyone's security and harmony, I'm the Hokage here, and I'm the one who's going to take care of this."

The council seems to have taken an end. Most of the attendants started moving and leaving their seat and the room. Itachi was standing next to Tsunade, but even through her condition, his eyes were fixating Danzou silently, just like the other was doing.

* * *

Sakura didn't understand what's happening. She was no more forbidden of leaving the Tower, she can now regain her house. But that wasn't what shocked her : Itachi was freed and claimed innocent from a dusk to a dawn.

He have been attributed to an apartment in the same street as her house. And she have just been attributed by Tsunade to take care of his health until it's totally restored. Not only, guide him if he needed anything and stay with him the whole day _if_ he permits that.

She was shocked of the condition. It was up to _him_ to _allow_ her to be around him or not. And Sakura's word here ? It doesn't have a meaning.

Great she thought.

But he doesn't matter ! She wants to see Sasuke, and accepted like a good girl all Tsunade was ordering her without discussion. When the Hokage was done, she asked her, pleaded, to let her see Sasuke.

Tsunade agreed, but with a weird condition : "_If_ Itachi agrees on accompanying you, after he's healed."

* * *

_**Next Chapter : Civilian Itachi**_

* * *

"_I can't tell where I'm going to_  
_I'm running all confused_"  
**X JAPAN - BLUE BLOOD**


	5. Chapter 5 : Civilian Itachi

**Chapter 5 : Civilian Itachi**

* * *

It was with the first rays of light that Itachi was awake. His bedroom was reddish like this morning's sky. He felt a warm aura, peaceful one, and thought the day to be a very pleasant one. It will be his first day as a civilian, officially back to Konoha and no more a rogue.

The night before, he received the important papers to justify his status to anyone who'd look for problems. He's no more a rogue. Not yet a Konoha ninja again, but he has a home at least, he's erased from the Bingo Book, he's no more dangerous.

Well, he's still dangerous, for the Akatsuki. They seemed to have been betrayed by one of their greatest members. Remains Sasuke, but Itachi is sure that he may reason him soon, he will understand the situation and _accept_ fate.

As he entered his bathroom, he head directly to take a shower, in the zone that seemed to be one. His eyesight is still damaged and very blurry. Once he was done, he brought himself to the sink and washed his face and mouth calmly.

The image reflected on the mirror was very deformed, but he could tell, obviously, that it was him. He noticed that his hair was longer than last time he took a moment to check on himself. He also noted that, even through his sight's problem, he got more muscles than before, even if he doesn't pay much attention to his physical capacities.

He wanted to smile, to see his own smile, how does it look like; sad, good, evil ? He couldn't see.

Evil hateful red eyes crossed his mind. Sasuke's. He could still see them in front of him. So full of hatred. He recalled his brother menacing his ex-teammate if any harm could happen to him.

"Why would you want me alive after all this Sasuke ?"

His flow of through streamed with Sasuke's yellings after their battle, he remembered Tobi, and then the medic-ninja who took care of him, Haruno Sakura. He recalled Tsunade's instructions; he's going to reintegrate the society, pass a discipline control and they regain his ninja status. But until then, he's going to be under Sakura's direct charges and Kakashi's indirect charges.

Talking about Sakura, she should visit him today for a cure session. He still can't get outside by himself; in a way, he needs to keep an official company around him, and in another way, he wasn't feeling ok at all since his fight with Sasuke.

* * *

Sakura arrived at Itachi's resigned appartement, on the first floor of the 4th building on the right of her parents' home. She's not ready yet to knock on the door, she must regain all her calmness and control.

The Godaime informed her previously that Itachi is no more a rogue. He's not yet a konoha-nin too. He's just a civilian for now until he gets fully reintegrated again. Until then, she has the duty to overview all his activities and give him full support on whatever he needs. She should also recover his health status and heal his eyesight.

She's not understanding the situation. He massacred his clan. That's how she argued with Tsunade only to get a negative answer : "bury that subject". Sakura could tell there is a long story behind these three words, and they're maybe linked to Sasuke hesitation on killing his brother.

Maybe Itachi is innocent.

A part of her wouldn't accept this for the simple reason that Itachi's crime is what took Sasuke away from his home and pained him. But a greater part of her accepted this and saw more logic through it. Even she couldn't know why, she trusted Tsunade enough to know that she would never take a bad decision. At the same time, a part of her heart accepted this. An acceptation she couldn't explain.

Anyway, Tsunade's condition was clear "No visiting Sasuke without Itachi."

Spiky. It's true that Sasuke still hold hate toward his brother, but no more enough hate to make him want to kill him. So he could visit him. Yet, maybe Itachi isn't ready to see his brother again after this civilian grade he got, this amnesty. So, she should convince him in a way or another to accept accompanying her. But how ?

She has no plan. So first, she needs to gather data concerning Itachi, she's going to try define his personality by herself, know his position and impression from his brother, try to know if he's able to sympathize with her, open himself to her, help her with Sasuke… Or more ! Even tell her the _long story_ she ignores, or even details concerning Sasuke !

Smile ! Trusting Tsunade, Sakura decided to trust by herself Itachi, he's the key to Sasuke.

Knock. Sakura knocked two tabs and couldn't knock a third one because the door was already opened. Itachi.

She found herself mesmerized for a moment, hypnotized by his… She looked somewhere else between the threshold and his apartment before allowing her mind to think of him as _handsome or attractive_.

"Welcome Haruno-san." He greeted, taking a step backward, allowing her to pass.

Sakura entered his apartment, greeted back, and entered the main hall. It was somehow white, light furniture here and there. She put her bag of tools on the floor, and invited Itachi to take a seat so their session could start.

From a hour, they didn't exchange any word out of greetings and medical instructions and indications.

The Haruno was too focused on her work that she didn't noticed the silence surrounding them. At a moment, when she gazed at the chain on his neck and remembered her battle against his clone during the Kazekage's saving mission, she feared him. She recalled his abilities, monstrous ones. She didn't have time to think or retake her spoken word : "Could you activate your Mangekyou ?"

He did. Her concentration was disturbed. She couldn't look at him in the eyes. Something was perturbing her. Someone. Her eyes started rounding and she had to move herself away from him. She was trying to flee those eyes' gazing.

She could't. When she stood and turned herself away, those eyes were still on her. It was a six patterned Mangekyou, like a hexagram. The same she saw in Sasuke's cell, the same she saw when team Kakashi tried to save Gaara… Or… No.

Her ears started ringing. She felt deaf when felt her weight pulling her down. She wanted to ask for help but could only see a white ceiling, white walls and a light grey sky beyond the white window. The whiteness was torn with someone's black hair. Itachi leveled her back with his arm as he called her '_Sakura_', when she could look at him again, she wasn't seeing any Mangekyou on his black eyes. She wanted to tell that she wasn't feeling good, but was shocked at the warmth she suddenly felt on her left breast. His hand crawled rapidly from there to her neck, to her jaw and ear, caressing them as his lips seized hers. She could just close her eyes from the warmth invading her.

"Haruno-san ! Are you alright ?"

When she opened her eyes, she found Itachi's onyx eyes so close to hers, but it wasn't him who was above her, but her. He was setting on the white sofa, hands linked hanging in the air as his elbows were on each of his cuisses. His head tilted up to face her with a somehow worried face. Her hands were on his collarbones. She was too close to him, in an abnormal way.

Itachi could tell what's wrong; her eyes' wards were too big, she didn't seem very aware of the time-space… Genjutsu. She was under a genjutsu.

His right hand seized her wrist and the genjutsu was broke. The maiden's equilibrium seemed lost for a moment, so he helped her sit next to him. She excused her behavior. A behavior she didn't comprehend it herself. She felt shame at the same time she realized what happen and heard him assuring her as he explained that she was under a genjutsu.

"How could you tell it's a genjutsu ?" she asked with a shivering voice, disturbed by the sudden realization of the silence and emptiness surrounding them, at their kind of isolation.

The Uchiha's answer was rapid and light "Your eyes, their iris got so tight as the wards got bigger. You seem to be under a genjutsu from a long period." She absorbed heavily these words. Who could do that to her ? She has enough potential to realize all kind of genjutsu, unless it's doujutsu… Speaking of doujutsu.

"Sharingan. Mangekyou sharingan." She spelled rapidly, gazing into the space before her. "I didn't feel myself since you activated your Mangekyou sharingan." She accused as she turned herself to face him before adding "And since when and how could you see my eyes' structure this clearly ?"

"You're healing me from a good time already." He replied, before getting attacked with a more aggressive tone : "But we just started this session from a hour !"

Itachi didn't give any answer. He was checking her more attentively with an eyebrow rising lightly as the time passed. He wasn't sure if Tsunade has an apprentice this weak and non-attentive or something very serious was going on.

"Haruno-san, it's almost dusk." He said with a serious face.

Sakura's round eyes and sudden envisage of the window made him confirm the fact that something wrong was going on. But who was able to damage her stability with a genjutsu like this ? Why would she approach him like that ? An idea tilted in his head but he didn't want to follow that hypothesis. But…

"Could you describe my Mangekyou ?" asked the calm man.

Sakura's disturbed state wasn't making her feel right. She was disoriented, and felt fear for the first time in a while. She didn't really get what he was asking. Mangekyou ? How would she describe it ?!

She rose from her seat and started gathering her tools and answered with a swinging voice "I-I don't know ! Red… and… Has a weird black pattern … I don't know !"

Itachi's suspicious eyes kept following her. He should know now. He stood from the sofa and took her elbow in his hand, stopping her from her task : "Please, answer me, what does it look like ? How many forms ? What geometrical form ?"

The seriousness of his tone made her feel more uncomfortable. She needs to answer him, anything ! And surely not lie, because she was sure he was playing a trick on her mind "Six !" she said "A star of six branches… Like a hexagram…"

The Uchiha's eyebrows were almost knitted, which made Sakura more afraid of him, her fear clearly readable. He released her arm and informed her gently that "It isn't my Mangekyou" as he closed his eyes.

The Haruno stepped backward when he opened his eyes showing a whole different pattern. He gazed at her for a moment to make sure she saw that his pattern don't have any hexagram-like form.

"So…" spelled Sakura carefully, "I guess I know whose Mangekyou it is…" she didn't have to finish her sentence since Itachi did in a questionable way : "Sasuke ?" and she nodded.

Why would Sasuke put her on a genjutsu, and what was his mangekyou able to do ? First, "When was last time you met him ?"

She doesn't remember, she doesn't care, she just want to keep away alone for now, she does't feel herself around this man at all, she got enough of the sharingan, enough…

"Enough." She yelled stressfully. Silence gained the room. Itachi was comprehensive of her alert, she was feeling like a puppet, like Sasuke played a dirty trick with her mind she's not even understanding. She doesn't know what he wants from her, but she surely won't let him go any further.

"Can you accompany me to meet him ?" she dared to ask.

The Uchiha looked down at her from his height. Why would she ask him for company ? But his wonder didn't took too much since she clarified now Tsunade's condition.

Meeting Sasuke. Itachi wasn't all ready for that after the heart tearing battle he got with his brother, but still, he really do want to know why he didn't finish him off. "I'd like to," he answered, "let's visit him whenever you like."

"Thanks" she told him, with so angry expressions.

* * *

_**Next Chapter : Deceiver**_

* * *

"_All things must have end_  
_You don't need to grieve_"  
**the GazettE - Last Heaven**


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